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38-411: The facility is a central component in the city's convention industry. The center, named for the late US congressman Henry Barbosa González , hosts more than 300 events each year with over 750,000 convention delegates attending from around the world. The City-owned facility is maintained by San Antonio's Convention and Visitors Bureau and by Downtown Operations. The Police Department provides security for

76-570: A San Antonio hospital on November 28, 2000. He had long groomed his son, Charlie , to succeed him. Charlie Gonzalez won easily in 1998 and served through January 2013; between them, father and son served 52 consecutive years in Congress. Bexar County, Texas 29°27′N 98°31′W  /  29.45°N 98.52°W  / 29.45; -98.52 Bexar County ( / b ɛər / BAIR or / ˈ b eɪ ər / BAY -ər ; Spanish : Béxar [ˈbexaɾ] )

114-476: A " communist " and a " pinko " and González confronted him. González was again referred to as a "communist" in 1986 by a man at Earl Abel's restaurant, a popular San Antonio eatery. The 70-year-old representative responded by punching him in the face. González was acquitted of assault for this incident when the restaurant patron dropped the charge. Unlike many southern politicians at the time, González vocally supported civil rights proposals. He voted in favor of

152-497: A 1,003-room convention center hotel and condominium tower designed by architecture firm Arquitectonica and built by Faulkner USA, opened in 2008. The Grand Hyatt provides a direct connection with the rest of the convention center. In 2016, the city completed a project to expand, renovate and modernize the facility and to create closer integration with Hemisfair and Alamo Plaza . The project included goals to remove fixed interior structures to allow for more flexible use of space, and

190-546: A blood-soaked bouquet of roses in the rear of the presidential limousine , he initially believed Jackie Kennedy had been shot. There, he saw Lyndon Johnson, Lady Bird Johnson , Mrs. Kennedy, and President Kennedy's sheet covered body. González helped place Kennedy's casket in the hearse that transported Kennedy to Air Force One . Reported to be unsettled by the effect that the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy , and Martin Luther King Jr. had on

228-447: A household was $ 38,328, and for a family was $ 43,724. Males had a median income of $ 30,756 versus $ 24,920 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 18,363. About 12.70% of families and 15.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.40% of those under age 18 and 12.20% of those age 65 or over. Bexar County is governed by a Commissioners Court , composed of four Commissioners and one County Judge, who acts as

266-573: A judge refused to allow him to add an African-American probation officer to his staff. In 1950, he was scoutmaster of Troop 90 in San Antonio, of which his son was a member. González served on the San Antonio City Council from 1953 to 1956. As a city councilmember, González helped desegregate swimming pools and other public accommodations in San Antonio. In 1956, he defeated Republican candidate Jesse Oppenheimer for

304-562: A large Hispanic population with a significant growing African American population. With a population that is 59.3% Hispanic as of 2020, it is Texas' most populous majority-Hispanic county and the third-largest such nationwide. Bexar County was created on December 20, 1836, and encompassed almost the entire western portion of the Republic of Texas . This included the disputed areas of eastern New Mexico northward to Wyoming. After statehood, 128 counties were carved out of its area. The county

342-470: A major upgrade of the building's technology. The effort was carved from a $ 550 million bond approved in 2012, and had an initial budget of $ 325 million. This was the largest capital project in the city's history. Construction was awarded to a joint venture of San Antonio-based Zachary and Indianapolis -based Hunt Construction Group . The "eastern expansion" started work in February 2014. The "western wing"

380-547: A seat in the Texas Senate . In 1960, he defeated another Republican, Ika "Ike" Simpson Kampmann, Jr. (1918-2006), to hold his state Senate seat. He remained in the Senate until 1961 and set the filibuster record in the chamber at the time by speaking for thirty-six straight hours against a set of bills on segregation . Most of the bills were abandoned (eight out of ten). He ran for governor in 1958 and finished second in

418-606: Is a county in the U.S. state of Texas . It is in South Texas and its county seat is San Antonio . As of the 2020 census , the population was 2,009,324, making it the state's fourth-most populous county. Bexar County is included in the San Antonio– New Braunfels , TX metropolitan statistical area . It is the 16th-most populous county in the nation and the fourth-most populated in Texas. Bexar County has

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456-596: Is in south-central Texas, about 190 miles (310 km) west of Houston and 140 miles (230 km) from both the US-Mexican border to the southwest and the Gulf of Mexico to the southeast. The Balcones Escarpment bisects the county from west to northeast; to the north of the escarpment are the rocky hills, springs and canyons of the Texas Hill Country . South of the escarpment are Blackland Prairie and

494-428: Is unique, however, in that unlike Houston or Dallas, none of these highways is currently tolled. As of the 2010 United States census , there were 1,714,773 people living in the county. Of those, 72.9% were White , 7.5% Black or African American , 2.4% Asian , 0.8% Native American , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 12.7% of some other race and 3.5% of two or more races . 58.7% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). As of

532-692: The Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1968 , and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 . González was in President Kennedy's fateful motorcade through Dallas on November 22, 1963. He recalled rolling down the window as his car neared the Texas School Book Depository , then hearing three distinct shots during the assassination. González's car proceeded to Parkland Memorial Hospital where, upon seeing

570-655: The Court of Military Appeals . González entered the special election for the San Antonio-based district in November 1961 and defeated a strong Republican candidate, attorney John W. Goode , whom former U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower flew to San Antonio to endorse. Mexican film star Cantinflas appeared with Vice President Johnson at shopping centers and supermarkets in San Antonio to support González, who would never face another contest nearly that close. He

608-467: The Dominguez Unit , a state jail for men, in an unincorporated section of Bexar County. School districts in the county include: All of the county is in the service area of Alamo Community College . On September 14, 2013, Bexar County opened BiblioTech – Bexar County's Digital Library , the nation's first bookless library. In 2016, for the third consecutive year, Bexar County increased

646-547: The Mexican Revolution . After he received an associate's degree from San Antonio College , he earned his undergraduate credentials from the University of Texas at Austin . Later, he received a Juris Doctor from St. Mary's University School of Law , also in San Antonio. Upon graduation, he became a probation officer, and was quickly promoted to the chief office of Bexar County, Texas . In 1945, he quit after

684-664: The Whitewater controversy until finally agreeing to hold hearings in 1994. González was an outspoken critic of the Federal Reserve System , and proposed an audit and introduced bills to impeach Paul Volcker and other Governors of the Federal Reserve. In 1997, González fell ill and was unable to return to the House for over a year. Finally, he decided not to run for a 19th full term in 1998. He died in

722-592: The impeachment of President Ronald Reagan , and he introduced articles of impeachment related to the Iran–Contra scandal and sent them to the House Judiciary Committee in 1987. No further action was taken on said articles. González later called for the impeachment of President George H. W. Bush for not obtaining Congressional approval before the 1991 Gulf War . Early in the presidency of Bill Clinton , González also blocked hearings into

760-484: The Bexar County Sheriff's Office (Javier Salazar, Sheriff). In late 2012, press reports noted an increase in the number of suicides at the facility. The issue was a topic of debate in the election for sheriff that year. The jail holds an average of about 3,800 prisoners in 2012, with a total capacity of 4,596, making it the fourth-largest in the state. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice operates

798-620: The Democratic primary (the real contest for governor in what was then a solidly Democratic state) to Price Daniel . In May 1961, González ran in the special election for the Senate seat that Lyndon B. Johnson vacated to become U.S. Vice President . He finished in sixth place in part because he split the liberal and Hispanic vote with Maury Maverick, Jr. , of San Antonio. In September 1961, President John F. Kennedy appointed Rep. Paul J. Kilday of Texas's 20th congressional district to

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836-746: The HSCA, Robert P. Gemberling, head of the FBI's investigation of the Kennedy assassination for thirteen years after the release of the Warren Commission 's report, said González, as well as Downing, had "preconceived conspiracy theories". According to a 1992 report, González did not rule out the possibility of shots other than the three he heard were fired from a silencer . Following the United States invasion of Grenada in 1983, González suggested

874-478: The South Texas plains. The San Antonio River rises from springs north of Downtown San Antonio , and flows southward and southeastward through the county. Bexar County has a comprehensive "wagon wheel" freeway system, with radial freeways and beltways that encircle Downtown San Antonio, allowing for simplified countywide freeway access, in a manner much like the freeways around Houston or Dallas. San Antonio

912-603: The U.S. state of Texas also derived its name from San Antonio de Béjar. Natives that lived in the county included the Lipan Apache , Payaya , Tonkawa , and Comanche . The last Indian raid in the county may have been on March 18, 1878, when Carl Mueller was killed by Indians in Helotes . According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 1,256 square miles (3,250 km ), of which 16 sq mi (41 km ) (1.3%) are covered by water. Bexar County

950-460: The appraised value of businesses and residences. Most will hence find their property taxes will increase for the year, with higher payments for some beginning as early as November 1. The latest 7.5 percent increase in valuation follows an 11 percent rise in 2015, and a 7 percent jump in 2014. The 2016 total value for all property in the county is approximately $ 163 billion, or $ 13 billion more than in 2015. County residents express dismay to Mary Kieke,

988-500: The census of 2000, 1,392,931 people, 488,942 households, and 345,681 families were residing in the county. The population density was 1,117 inhabitants per square mile (431/km ). There were 521,359 housing units at an average density of 418 units per square mile (161/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 68.86% White, 7.18% Black or African American, 0.80% Native American, 1.61% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 17.80% from other races, and 3.64% from two or more races. About 54.35% of

1026-399: The center. The facility currently has a 1,600,000 square feet (150,000 m) footprint, with 203,000 sq ft (18,900 m) of meeting space, 2 ballrooms, 4 contiguous exhibit halls with over 514,000 sq ft (48,000 m) and the adjacent 2,319-seat Lila Cockrell Theatre, a performing arts venue which is part of the original construction. The "Stars at Night" ballroom is

1064-467: The deputy chief appraiser. "People are very upset. The tax system is absolutely broken," she said. Bexar County has generally voted for Democratic candidates in most presidential elections, though from 1932 to 2012 it was a nationwide bellwether, supporting the winner in every election except 1968. Democrats perform well within the Connally Loop , which contains heavily Hispanic neighborhoods on

1102-689: The largest in Texas at 54,000 sq ft (5,000 m). The room features 652 LED lights. The primary lobby, off of Market Street, features a large interactive $ 1 million art installation dubbed "Liquid Crystal" and designed by the Jason Bruges Studio in London. The original convention center was built as part of HemisFair '68 by a joint venture of two general contractors Darragh & Lyda Inc. of San Antonio, Texas and H. A. Lott Inc. of Houston, Texas, but has been significantly altered and expanded since then. The Grand Hyatt San Antonio ,

1140-579: The nation, González pushed in 1975 for a House committee study. In 1976, the United States House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) was created to investigate the deaths of President Kennedy and King , and González succeeded Thomas N. Downing as its chairman in January 1977. After a power struggle with the HSCA's counsel , he resigned as the committee's chairman that same year. Shortly before González chaired

1178-422: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of 488,942 households, 36.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.50% were married couples living together, 15.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.30% were not families. About 24.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

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1216-603: The presiding officer. The Commissioners represent their respective precincts, which are roughly equal in population and geographic area. On July 12, 2011, the Commissioners Court established the Office of the County Manager to streamline "the functions, offices and departments that report to Commissioners Court." The Bexar County jail facilities are at 200 North Comal in downtown San Antonio , operated by

1254-772: The source of the San Antonio River . The new settlement was named after the Presidio San Antonio de Béjar, the Spanish military outpost that protected the missions. The presidio, located at the San Pedro Springs , was founded in 1718 and named for Viceroy Balthasar Manuel de Zúñiga y Guzmán Sotomayor y Sarmiento , second son of the Duke of Béjar (a town in Spain). The modern city of San Antonio in

1292-539: Was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.33. A Williams Institute analysis of 2010 census data found there were about 6.2 same-sex couples per 1,000 households in the county. In the county, the population was distributed as 28.50% under the age of 18, 10.70% from 18 to 24, 30.60% from 25 to 44, 19.90% from 45 to 64, and 10.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.20 males. The median income for

1330-577: Was an American Democratic politician from the U.S. state of Texas , who represented Texas's 20th congressional district from 1961 to 1999. He is the longest serving Hispanic in Congress and a founding member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus . González was born in San Antonio , Texas , the son of Mexican-born parents Genoveva (née Barbosa) and Leonides Gonzalez (from Mapimí, Durango ), who had immigrated during

1368-638: Was demolished to make way for a new entrance, green space and other developments directly related to Hemisfair . This wing included most of the original convention center building from 1968. The expansion introduced the "Stars at Night" ballroom and the new Market Street lobby. See also: List of museums in Central Texas 29°25′15″N 98°29′5″W  /  29.42083°N 98.48472°W  / 29.42083; -98.48472 Henry B. Gonz%C3%A1lez Henry Barbosa González (born Enrique Barbosa González ; May 3, 1916 – November 28, 2000)

1406-441: Was named for San Antonio de Béxar, one of the 23 Mexican municipalities (administrative divisions) of Texas at the time of its independence. San Antonio de Béxar—originally Villa de San Fernando de Béxar —was the first civil government established by the Spanish in the province of Texas . Specifically, the municipality was created in 1731 when 55 Canary Islanders settled near the system of missions that had been established around

1444-498: Was unopposed for a full term in 1962 and was reelected seventeen times thereafter. He never faced truly serious or well-funded opposition, having been unopposed in 1970, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1982, and 1984. In fact, the 20th district was (and remains) so heavily Democratic that González faced Republican opposition only five times and handily prevailed whenever challenged. González became known for his staunchly liberal views. In 1963, Republican U.S. Representative Ed Foreman called González

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